I don't think the Aussie bowling has been any better, to be honest. They were more disciplined, but they were not bowling as many great deliveries as they did in 2001. But, the field placings were better and the overall planning for this series was outstanding from the Aussies. But I can understand us being defeated because of this in one test, the first, but then having seen what they were doing, we should have changed our plans accordingly.
I question what Wright, Ganguly and the other seniors were doing. For example, this Aussie line of pitching it reasonably up and bringing the ball back in with a packed leg side field could have been countered by the Indian batters batting a couple of feet away from the crease and trying to get on the front foot as much as possible. Also, they could have either taken middle stump guard for those who like to play on the on side and they could have taken outside leg stump guard to hit on the off side. I am not saying it would have worked but these stuff were worth a try.
I think what India lacked in this series is an ability to make the actual changes where they were necessary. Yuvraj/Chopra opening has hardly made an impact, neither were good enough in this series. They should have tried maybe 3 spinners at Bangalore and Chennai, something like that. We have only changed the personnel, not the formula, and perhaps that has cost us.
Finally, with the next test and the series against SA coming up, some of the guys need to be changed. Laxman needs a break to try and get his game organised again and stage a comeback. I think even Dravid needs a break, from all cricket possibly, he is looking very negative. His captaincy was awful, to say the least, and his batting, especially in the first innings when he was in decent enough form to middle so many deliveries, was not much better than awful. Sachin should try and bat the way he did in the late 90s, in an attacking mode, because that is the way that would help India win matches. We already have Dravid to do what Sachin did at Sydney. Sourav should probably take a break too. He looks very tired and not in his usual fighting self. Perhaps, Gambhir and Sriram can come in for Dravid and Laxman.
But I guess with Sourav missing from next test in all probability, Dravid should stay, but atleast people have to tell him that he has to be positive. Not positive as in hitting a shot every ball, but positive as in putting away the bad balls as and when they come along and taking as many singles as he can in between. One of the biggest disappointments from the Indian point of view in this series was the inability of the Indian batters to take singles for a long period of time, sustain a partnership instead of trying to hit boundaries all the time. I think, in a nutshell, it is our inability to adapt and change that cost us dear.
How can an FTB so over rated be a legend ??